Persistence of PCR-positive tissue in benznidazole-treated mice with negative blood parasitological and serological tests in dual infections with Trypanosoma cruzi stocks from different genotypes.

OBJECTIVES: To assess different methodologies to better define an early post-therapeutic cure criterion after benznidazole treatment in BALB/c mice following mixed infection with dual Trypanosoma cruzi genotypes. METHODS: According to the classical cure criteria, animals were classified as treated not cured (TNC = 76.4%), treated cured (TC = 12.5%) and dissociated (DIS = 11.1%) using parasitological [fresh blood examination (FBE), blood culture (BC) and blood PCR] and serological methods [conventional serology (CS-ELISA) and non-conventional serology (NCS-FC-ALTA)]. Tissues were also evaluated by PCR. RESULTS: FBE was able to detect patent parasitaemia in only 18.1% of TNC and therapeutic failure was detected in 79.1% and 97.2% of TNC by BC and blood PCR, respectively. CS-ELISA should not be used before 3 months after treatment since it may lead to false-negative results. At 3 months after treatment with benznidazole, NCS-FC-ALTA was more efficient for categorizing the groups of treated mice. In the TNC group, although a decreased frequency of PCR-positive tissue was observed in several host tissues, increased positivity was also observed, despite the T. cruzi genotype combination. All TC animals presented at least two positive tissue-PCR results. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that NSC-FC-ALTA and blood PCR are the most suitable methods to early detect therapeutic failure in acute murine T. cruzi infection. Additionally, our data show that BC positivity is highly dependent upon the T. cruzi genotype combination. Moreover, our findings demonstrated that PCR tests performed on tissues from animals considered cured after benznidazole treatment still detected T. cruzi DNA, most probably indicating residual infection.

Peritoneal effusion in a dog secondary to visceral mast cell tumor. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Mast cell tumor, one of the most common skin tumors in dogs, may also be found in visceral sites (mainly spleen and liver). When a visceral mast cell tumor is present, neoplastic mast cells may be found in any effusion secondary to the tumor. Therefore, the diagnosis may be made by cytologic analysis of the effusion. CASE: An 8-year-old, spayed, female Siberian husky presented with a peritoneal effusion secondary to a visceral mast cell tumor. Seven months earlier, the dog had presented with a cutaneous nodule diagnosed as a well-differentiated mast cell tumor. The peritoneal fluid was classified as a transudate. Numerous neoplastic mast cells were found in the effusion. Although the mast cell tumor presented with characteristics of the well-differentiated tumor, its biologic behavior was that of a malignant tumor. CONCLUSION: Care should be taken to evaluate the prognosis of mast cell tumors in dogs since their biologic behavior is extremely variable.

Collagen dysplasia (cutaneous asthenia) in a cat.

Hereditary collagen dysplasias comprise a complex group of connective-tissue disorders that result in the reduced tensile strength of affected tissues. These processes are called cutaneous asthenia in the skin of dogs and cats. We report here the case of a crossbred male cat, aged 6 months, that presented with two skin wounds in the region of the right thorax and right iliac tuberosity. The skin of these regions and of the animal's dorsum was hyperextensible, smooth to the touch, and easily torn with minor trauma. Microscopic examination of skin samples revealed reduced dermal connective tissue consisting of shortened and fragmented collagen fibers. Normal fibers were intermingled with altered fibers. Ultrastructural changes in collagen fibers included disorientation of fibrils within the same bundle, marked spacing differences, and variation in the diameter of transverse sections. The fibrils maintained the transverse striations characteristic of normal collagen.

Características anatomoclínicas dos linfomas caninos na regiäo de Botucatu, Säo Paulo / Clinicopathological aspects of canine lymphoma in Botucatu region, Säo Paulo, Brazil

Estudaram-se as características anatomoclínicas dos linfomas em cäes da regiäo de Botucatu, Säo Paulo. O material utilizado foi colhido de 34 cäes portadores de linfoma maligno, dos quais nove eram da raça Pastor-Alemäo, nove sem raça definida, cinco da raça Boxer, três animais da raça Dobermann e oito outros cada um de uma raça, 68 por cento deles machos. A idade variou de 1 a 13 anos, com média de 6,2 anos. O estabelecimento do estádio dos linfomas foi baseado nos critérios estabelecidos pela Organizaçäo Mundial da Saúde. No momento do diagnóstico, 32 animais apresentavam-se nos estádios clínicos III, IV ou V. Apenas dois foram enquadrados no estádio II. A forma anatômica mais freqüente foi a multicêntrica, diagnosticada em 31 animais. A forma tímica, diagnosticada em dois animais, e a disgestiva, em um animal, foram as outras anatômicas encontradas

Características anatomoclínicas dos linfomas caninos na região de Botucatu, São Paulo

This report describes 34 cases of canine lymphoma, all of them referred to the Veterinary Hospital of FMVZ - UNESP in Botucatu - SP, Brazil, comprising, nine German Shepherd dogs, nine mongrels, five Boxers, three Doberman and one of each eigth other breeds. The mean age was 6.2 years, range 1 to 13 years, and 68% of the dogs were males. The stage of the lymphomas was based on the World Health Organization criteria. At the time of diagnosis 32 dogs were at more advanced stages (IIII, IV, and V). Only two dogs were at stage II. The multicentric form was the most common anatomic one. This form was seen in 31 lymphomas. Nevertheless, thymic and alimentary forms were also observed in two and one dogs, respectively.

Estudaram-se as características anatomoclínicas dos linfomas em cães da região de Botucatu, São Paulo. O material utilizado foi colhido de 34 cães portadores de linfoma maligno, dos quais nove eram da raça Pastor-Alemão, nove sem raça definida, cinco da raça Boxer, três animais da raça Dobermann e oito outros cada um de uma raça, 68% deles machos. A idade variou de 1 a 13 anos, com média de 6,2 anos. O estabelecimento do estádio dos linfomas foi baseado nos critérios estabelecidos pela Organização Mundial de Saúde. No momento do diagnóstico, 32 animais apresentavam-se nos estádios clínicos III, IV ou V. Apenas dois foram enquadrados no estádio II. A forma anatômica mais freqüente foi a multicêntrica, diagnosticada em 31 animais. A forma tímica, diagnosticada em dois animais, e a digestiva, em um animal, foram as outras formas anatômicas encontradas.

[Analysis of the efficacy of the maternal breast-feeding incentive program in a peripheric district of Belo Horizonte (Brazil): 1980/1986/1992]. / Análise da eficácia do Programa de Incentivo ao Aleitamento Materno em um bairro periférico de Belo Horizonte (Brasil): 1980/1986/1992.

Three institutions worked together in order to combat early weaning in a peripheric district of Belo Horizonte (Brazil): the Department of Pediatrics of the Faculty of Medicine (Federal University of Minas Gerais), the Secretary of Health of Belo Horizonte and a Brazilian assistential institution ("LBA"). One initial survey, in 1980, documented breast-feeding practices in this community, when there were no systematized actions of incentive to human milk, at local or national levels. Two similar surveys were also conducted, in 1986 and in 1992. In each one, 152 mothers with children under two years old were randomly selected and interviewed. The results showed significant progress in the breast-feeding period in the first six years, and a stabilization between 1986 and 1992. For example: if only 39.0% of the children received human milk for six months or more in 1980, 54.3% received it in 1986 and 52.4% in 1992. In 1980, 80.6% of the children were nourished with cow's milk before three months of age, to 56.5% in 1986 and 56.3% in 1992. Prenatal influence to increase the level of breast-feeding has always been weak. Besides, a reflux was detected in the last few years with regard to the participation of the maternity hospital in the educative process.

Hemangioma peri-duodenal em equino: descriçäo de um caso / Peri-duodenal hemangiona in equine: a case report

Descreve-se um caso de hemangioma cavernoso peri-duodenal, levando a um quadro de obstruçäo intestinal, em um equino Mangalarga, fêmea, com nove anos de idade, acompanhado de histórico de óbito após quadro de cólica resistente à terapia convencional. A necropsia, observou-se intensa dilataçäo gástrica, duodeno envolto por tecido vermelho enegrecido, medindo aproximadamente 40 cm de comprimento, com intensa compressäo da luz do órgäo. O exame histopatológico revelou espaços vasculares contendo eritrócitos, delimitados por uma camada simples de células endoteliais bem diferenciadas, com tecido conjuntivo interpondo-se entre os mesmos, permitindo o diagnóstico de hemangioma cavernoso

Meningoencefalite granulomatosa em cäo / Granulomatous meningoencephalitis in a dog

A Meningoencefalite Granulomatosa (MEG) é um processo inflamatório näo supurativo do Sistema Nervoso Central (SNC). A MEG tem sido descrita desde 1972, e uma grande variedade de termos já foi usada para designar tal doença (THOMAS; EGER14, 1989). Este trabalho tem o objetivo de relatar o caso de um cäo, fêmea, da raça Dachshund, com 3 anos e 8 meses de idade, que foi encaminhado ao Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP, Botucatu, com quadro de incoordenaçäo havia 10 dias, evoluindo para tremores e desvio lateral da cabeça. Após exame clínico e constatando-se a irreversabilidade do processo, o animal foi submetido à eutanásia. A necrópsia revelou extensa área de leucomalácia, e os estudos histopatológicos mostraram tratar-se de MEG, doença de extrema controvérsia e rara ocorrência na literatura compulsada